carrotjuice

I really don’t see the value of this self administered swabs. It’s a waste of money at best, ineffective control at worst. Curiously, if someone really doesn’t want to be swabbed… what’s stopping the person from just dripping the liquid without swabbing into the ART kit? Guaranteed to produce negative result! LOL

MSPeconomist

IMO there's a big difference between being sent to a quarantine facility and quarantine at a hotel, especially if you can pick the hotel, order from the room service menu, and have food and other stuff delivered to your hotel room.

carrotjuice

Quarantine in Singapore, even back in the days of SHN, never allows you to pick your choice of hotel, unless you book in advance and pay for a suite.

bpk6h

Not sure exactly how the science works but I would suspect doing this would produce an invalid result rather than a negative result.

Singapore_Air

You're not holding your breath are you ?

djjaguar64

We just cancelled our Swiss flight to Singapore for April 2022. Now unless things.change we will vacation in Europe as planned. What I also noticed is that the VTL flights are only SQ flights are other airlines planes from VTL countries also considered VTL? Since our planned trip is in 2022 I am going to wait and see if Singapore is going to remove this VTL thingie.

paperwastage

swiss airlines is on it, along with some of the other EU airlines (eg Lufthansa, air France).

https://go.gov.sg/vtl-airlines
VTL is like a self-filter, only the people who need to travel will go (family, medical issues, work etc), and trying to filter out cheaper tourism. (Only want people willing to spend the extra for testing, 1day hotel quarantine , insurance, potentially stuck in isolation ward if positive... )

I doubt VTL will disappear in 2022 first half. At least given what we have seen, SG govt actually wants VTL to remain open unless something very drastic happens (worse than how omicron is behaving so far)

Beetles

Looks like I’m probably going to cancel my February trip and plan for January 2023. Last thing I need is an extended stay in an already expensive Singapore. By 2023 hopefully choice of flights won’t be VTL.

djjaguar64

I said that in 2020 and booked for 2022 look what happened. So I wonder if this virus will keep mutating and VTL's will keep revolving.

djjaguar64

Is Sweden on the VTL list, it appears on the Singapore govt website but not on SQ's site.

As well, from Canada can I not fly with AC to a VTL country in Europe and then fly with LH or LX or SQ(very expensive) to SIN? The SQ flight from YVR does not operate in April 2022

FROM CANADA
.Singapore Airlines

Please enquire directly with the airline for the designated VTL flight number and schedule.

Please note that you are not eligible for the VTL if, in the last 14 days, you have been to any non-Category (I) and/or countries that do not have any VTL arrangements with Singapore.

Beetles

And my CX miles will expire in March. I guess I’ll just use them for my LA trip in June while AA has open award space.

riotpoofcity

Sweden is designated as a VTL country, even though there are no direct flights between Singapore and Sweden. I find this page on Mainly Miles to be the best way to quickly check whether a flight is VTL or not (it was a lifesaver when I missed my connection to SG in HEL and the airport agent, who had no idea about VTL flights, was providing rebooking options on SQ via a third country.

Per the question above, you are permitted to fly on any flight from one VTL country to the next, provided your final leg into SG is a VTL flight.

carrotjuice

Try Finnair. Not daily flights, 4 times a week, all VTL, easy connection from Sandinavia. Normally fares are cheaper than SQ, plus considerable award availability via OW FFPs.

sam_goh

Surprised you didn't get nastygram from them. There's a completely different website for day 2/4/5/6 self-administered versus Day 3/7 results (that requires upload of info). I was a bit jetlagged and when I didn't see a way to upload day 3 to first site, I assumed that since I made the appt via the MOH link the info would be shared. Guess not, got calls from VTL/IACA the next morning and threatening e-mail about violation yadda yadda get one done by 11:59 p.m. Quick call cleared it up, but just so anyone else read this thread knows.

I don't know what they use as control, but I ran into this. The last day I had to get 2 tests done. An administered ART (24h) for coming back to USA (Cost is ~$45 private clinic compared to $135 PCR), and a self-administered (day 7) for Sing govt. The nurse twirled both nostrils for maybe 2 seconds each. An hour later while I was in line for my other covid test, clinic called to say inconclusive I had to come back again. Good thing only a few MRT stops away but that was annoying. And no, either test cannot substitute for each other, I tried.

HKG requires a PCR test to transit (72h). So I cancelled ticket and went through NRT instead, so that I didn't have to do a 3rd different test.

Ah well.... surprised my folks was so good to see them, and I ate like a king at every hawker center. My first Grab order to the Grand Hyatt was ~$49. I bet he thought I was having a dinner party haha.

bpk6h

yeah, I'm familiar with the self-administered website...while I escaped the day 2,4,5,6 tests this time, this website was also used for those in quarantine. During the old 14 day quarantine, you had to do a self-swab on days 3,7,11 and report.

As for my day 7 test taking 24hrs, I assume the MoH must have been aware. My wife asked the nurse about results timing at the time of the test and the nurse replied 24-36hrs...so it was known it would take this long.